Stackable storage box

ABSTRACT

A stackable storage box includes a hollow, trapezoidal box body having a relatively larger upper side and a relatively smaller lower side, two flexible belts each having two distal ends thereof affixed to one of two opposing sidewalls of the box body near the topmost edge of the box body, and two grips respectively affixed to a middle part of each of the two flexible belts and movable with the flexible belts between a first position where the grips are held by the flexible belts on the inside of the box body and a second position where the grips are held by the flexible belts on the outside of the box body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to storage containers and moreparticularly, to a stackable storage box that facilitates arrangement ofmultiple storage boxes of the same design stably in a stack.

b) Description of the Prior Art

Due to limited living space, people usually use storage boxers to keeppersonal items, such as clothes, books, magazines, and etc. Conventionalstorage boxes are made of plastics by injection molding for theadvantages of light weight and low manufacturing cost. To facilitatestorage, the box body is made in a trapezoidal shape having a relativelylarger upper side and a relatively smaller lower side and equipped withtwo rigid handles at two opposite sides. Thus, multiple storage boxescan be inserted one into another to reduce the storage space. However,when multiple storage boxes are arranged in a stack after storage ofstorage items in each storage box, the stacked storage boxes areunstable and may be forced to fall to the floor accidentally by anexternal force.

There is know another design of stackable storage box, which comprises acollapsible rectangular box body formed of canvass, four top horizontalrods respectively fastened to the four sides of the box body at the top,two bottom horizontal rods respectively fastened to two opposite sidesof the box body at the bottom, and four vertical rods respectivelyfastened to the box body in the four corners. The rod members are keptspaced from one another at a distance after installation. The rodmembers support the box body in shape. Further, each vertical peripheralpanel of the box body has two crossed and diagonally extending foldinglines. Through the folding lines, the box body can be collapsed.However, when multiple stackable storage boxes are arranged in a stackafter storage of storage items in each stackable storage box, thestacked storage boxes are unstable and may fall to the flooraccidentally

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances inview. It is therefore the main object of the present invention toprovide a stackable storage box that facilitates arrangement of multiplestorage boxes of the same design stably in a stack, either when thestorage boxes are empty or have stored therein storage items.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a stackablestorage box comprises a hollow, trapezoidal box body having a relativelylarger upper side and a relatively smaller lower side, two flexiblebelts each having two distal ends thereof affixed to one of two opposingsidewalls of the box body near the topmost edge of the box body, and twogrips respectively affixed to a middle part of each of the two flexiblebelts and movable with the flexible belts between a first position wherethe grips are held by the flexible belts on the inside of the box bodyand a second position where the grips are held by the flexible belts onthe outside of the box body.

Further, the grips can be configured to have a semi-circular crosssection, circular cross section, oval cross section, rectangular crosssection or oval cross section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an oblique top elevation of a stackable storage box inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates multiple empty stackable storage boxes inserted intoone another and arranged in a stack according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 corresponds to FIG. 1 but showing the grips held on the inside ofthe box body.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating multiple stackable storage boxesinserted into one another and arranged in a stack according to thepresent invention, wherein the box body of one upper stackable storagebox is supported on the grips inside of the box body of one adjacentlower stackable storage box.

FIG. 5 illustrates two stackable storage boxes arranged in a stackaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 6A is a schematic sectional view of a part of the stackable storagebox in accordance with the present invention, showing the grip with arectangular cross section.

FIG. 6B is a schematic sectional view of a part of the stackable storagebox in accordance with the present invention, showing the grip with anoval cross section.

FIG. 6B is a schematic sectional view of a part of the stackable storagebox in accordance with the present invention, showing the grip with atriangular cross section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a stackable storage box in accordance with thepresent invention is shown comprising a box body 1 that is a hollow,trapezoidal container having a relatively larger upper side and arelatively smaller lower side and defining therein a storage chamber 10,two flexible belts 11 each having two distal ends thereof affixed to oneof two opposing sidewalls of the box body 1 near the topmost edge of thebox body 1, and two grips 12 respectively affixed to the middle part ofeach of the two flexible belts 11.

The box body 1 consists of two sets of opposing sidewalls and a bottomwall. The sidewalls and bottom wall of the box body 1 can be made of apaperboard or plastic board having a certain thickness and covered witha fabric covering. Alternatively, the box body 1 can be injection-moldedfrom plastics. The grips 12 are configured for grasping comfortably bythe hands of a person. Further, the grips 12 can be made having asemicircular cross section (see FIG. 4), rectangular cross section (seeFIG. 6A), oval cross section (see FIG. 6B), triangular cross section(see FIG. 6C), or any of a variety of other shapes of cross section. Theflexible belts 11 have a sufficient length such that the flexible belts11 can be turned relatively to the box body 1 to hold the grips 12 onthe outside of the box body 1 (see FIG. 1), or on inside of the box body1 (see FIG. 3).

When the grips 12 are held on the outside the box body 1, as shown inFIG. 1, multiple stackable storage boxes can be inserted one intoanother and arranged in a stack to minimize the storage space, as shownin FIG. 2.

Further, multiple stackable storage boxes have storage items storedtherein, the grips 12 of each stackable storage box can be held by therespective flexible belts 11 on the inside of the associating box body1, as shown in FIG. 3, insert the multiple stackable storage boxes intoone another to have each upper stackable storage box be supported on thegrips 12 inside the respective adjacent lower stackable storage box, asshown in FIGS. 4 and 5, enhancing positioning stability and saving thestorage space.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described indetail for purposes of illustration, various modifications andenhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except asby the appended claims.

1. A stackable storage box comprising: a box body; two flexible beltseach having two distal ends thereof affixed to one of two opposingsidewalls of said box body near the topmost edge of said box body; andtwo grips respectively affixed to a middle part of each of said twoflexible belts and movable with said flexible belts between a firstposition where said grips are held by said flexible belts on the insideof said box body and a second position where said grips are held by saidflexible belts on the outside of said box body.
 2. The stackable storagebox as claimed in claim 1, wherein said box body is a hollow,trapezoidal container having a relatively larger upper side and arelatively smaller lower side.
 3. The stackable storage box as claimedin claim 1, wherein said grips have a semicircular cross section.
 4. Thestackable storage box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said grips have arectangular cross section.
 5. The stackable storage box as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said grips have an oval cross section.
 6. The stackablestorage box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said grips have a triangularcross section.